Tampon



Sept. 2, 1941.

J. R. CROCKFORD TAMPON Filed June 22, 1940 flzsbose or Cellulose INVENTQR.

Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

TAMPON Joseph B. Crockford, Chicago, 111. Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 341,811

(01. 12s 2ss) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to tampons and has for its object the provision of an article of this character composed of a single piece or section of highly absorbent material having the unique and highly desirable characteristic of rigidity or stiffness when dry whereby its insertion into the body orifice is greatly facilitated.

Heretof-ore tampons of various kinds are usually composed of sheet material such as cellulose paper, cotton batting, textile fabric or the like, such materials being rolled or otherwise compacted into cylindrical or other form and maintained in such form by stitching, tying strings or by the application of an adhesive coating of some sort. Tampons. of such construction are expensive to manufacture, are often composed of elements or parts; are likely to shred or disintegrate in use, and while they are absorbent they do not possess the optimum of absorbency.

The primary object therefore, of the present invention is to provide a single-piece tampon of extraordinary absorbency; which will not shred or disintegrate under all conditions of use; which will be substantially still or rigid when dry, whereby the insertion into a body orifice will be greatly facilitated; which softens and expands materially when moistened to thereby fill the body cavity and which possesses many other advantages clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

,In the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, and in which an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, the figureshown is a per spective view of a tampon constructed in accordance with the invention.

The body of the tampon shown at I may be of any suitable size and shape dependent upon the purposes for which it is adapted to be used. For.

menstrual purposes the substantially cylindrical form shown, having the smoothly'rounded entrance end or terminal 2 is preferred. A pull string 3 is attached adjacent the opposite end of the tampon by beinglooped around the tampon and then extended diagonally through the tampon to emanate at the central point 4 at the rear end of the tampon. It will, of course, be apparent that other means of attaching the pull string may be employed.

The tampon is preferably composed of a single piece of moulded or otherwise properly shaped,

hi hly absorbent material commercially known T and sold as viscose or cellulose sponge. I have found that such material possesses the unique faculty of being relatively rigid, stiff and only slightly compressible when dry so that it permits easy insertion into the body cavity. At the same time, the surface of atampon composed of such material is relatively smooth, soft and non-irritating. An additional advantage in using viscose or cellulose sponge for the body of the tampon follows from the tendency of this material to not only absorb substantially large quantities of fluid, but to also immediately soften and greatly-expand when doing so to thereby cause it to fill and close the body cavity. This tendency of the tampon to greatly expand, enables the tampon to be made small in size and packed, carried and handled conveniently.

I am aware that prior to this invention, sponges of the conventional-- soft, normally compressible, easily distorted material have been used as tampons and consider such sponges as wholly outside of the invention, the primary feature thereof consisting in the employment 'of an absorbent material which is stiff and solid when dry, and is highly absorbent, soft, and expansible when saturated.

What I claim is:

- 1. A tampon having a body composed of viscose or cellulose sponge material.

2. A tampon for menstrual purposes having a body composed of a single, elongated section of absorbent material possessing the characteristics of being stifi when dry and soft and expanded when fluid-saturated,

3. A tampon having a smooth-surfaced body of viscose or cellulose sponge material.

4. A tampon wholly composed of viscose or cellulose sponge material.

5. A tampon for menstrual purposes having a body composed of shaped viscose or cellulose sponge material possessing the characteristic of being relatively stiff When dry.

6. A tampon comprising a single piece of shaped viscose or cellulose sponge material, and

a pull string attached at one end to the tamponadapted for vaginal insertion when in said 'stiff and dry condition.

JOSEPH R. CROCKFORD. 

